A PHASE I ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY FOR THE I-285 EASTSIDE EXPRESS LANES, DEKALB COUNTY, GEORGIA, PI No. 0013914, HP-180604-002

TerraXplorations, Inc. (TerraX), of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was contracted by Atkins North America of Atlanta, Georgia, to conduct a Phase I archaeological survey for the Interstate (I)-285 Eastside Express Lanes project in DeKalb County, Georgia, PI No. 0013914. This survey was conducted on behalf of GDOT in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended [NHPA (16 USC 470 to 470w-6)]. The primary purpose of the Phase I archaeological resources survey was to locate and evaluate the eligibility of any archaeological resources (artifacts or features ≥50 years old) within the survey area for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The Phase I survey was performed between November 5, 2018, and March 7, 2019, by Jeff Thompson, Shawna Felkel, Tyler Reece, and Stephen Holt, with Nicole DeFrancisco serving as Field Director. Shaun E. West and Paul D. Jackson served as Co-Principal Investigators for the project. Five discrete areas were later identified by Atkins North America where construction limits were anticipated to reach beyond the previously established survey area.

The addendum surveys were performed between August 5 and 9, 2019, by Tyler Reece and Richard Pettersen with Nicole DeFrancisco serving as Field Director. The survey area for this project consists of the Area of Potential Effects (APE) (approximately 946 acres), which covers the existing and proposed right of way (ROW) for the project, as well as a 100-foot (ft) Expanded Survey Corridor (ESC) (approximately 449 acres). The total acreage for the survey area is roughly 1,395 acres.

The Phase I investigation consisted of 30-m interval shovel testing coupled with visual inspections. This included the placement of 4,799 shovel tests along 129 transects. Of the total 4,799 attempted transect shovel tests, nine shovel tests were positive for artifacts, 2,578 were negative, and 2,212 were not excavated as they fell atop various obstructions. Additional close interval (15 meter [m]) shovel testing and 1-m interval soil probing efforts were also performed for site delineations. The Phase I survey led to the identification of three isolated finds (IF1, IF2, and IF3), seven newly recorded sites (9DA167, 9DA168, 9DA169, 9DA170, 9DA171, 9DA172, and 9DA173), and the relocation of two previously recorded sites (9DA336 and 9DA464) within the survey area. Though three additional previously recorded sites (9DA28, 9DA35, and 9DA337) were located within, or immediately adjacent to, the survey area, no indications of these sites were detected during the investigation. In accordance with the GDOT Environmental Procedures Manual, TerraX recommends that the portions of each site with an unknown or potentially eligible NRHP recommendation located outside of the project APE be designated an ESA and be avoided by any project construction activities. The resulting NRHP and ESA recommendations for the project are summarized in Table 1. TerraX also recommends that the contractor install orange barrier fencing along the edge of the APE bordering these sites in order to clearly demarcate and avoid these resources. If avoidance of construction activities within these areas is not possible, then additional testing is recommended to further assess the NRHP eligibility recommendations for these sites.